"No Nuclear Power Plants, Abe Shinzo!" Energetic protesters surround the Diet

Two anti-nukes rallies participated by thousands of people respectively were held in the afternoon of June 2 in Tokyo. The participants of the rallies later joined together in the anti-nukes Diet surrounding action organized by the Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes. The Diet area was filled with a huge crowd of protesters that had rarely been seen in recent weeks. After the surrounding action that took place in the late afternoon, a large rally was held in front of the main gate of the Diet building in the evening. Activists from various places across the country and Diet members including former Prime Minister KAN Naoto made speeches. Music and chants followed.The protesters were of a wide range of ages. Many of them had signs and other things that express in various original ways their strong desire for the world without nuclear power plants. It is sometimes said these days that the anti-nukes movement has lost its momentum, but the scale of the action and the enthusiasm of the participants clearly showed the power of the anti-nukes movement in Japan that has taken root firmly in the society.（By M）

*Photo: a sign in the shape of a nuclear reactor with "No Nuclear Power Plants, Abe Shinzo!" written on it    YouTube video (in front of the Diet)   YouTube video (the rally in Shiba Koen Park)  

原発いらんぞ安倍しんぞう～盛り上がり見せた国会大包囲

6月2日午後、脱原発を求める集会が東京の明治公園と芝公園で開かれ、夕方からは首都圏反原発連合の呼びかけた「反原発☆国会大包囲」に合流した。国会周辺は久しぶりにびっしり人の波で埋まった。16時からの国会包囲行動に続いて、17時からは正門前大集会が開かれた。各地の反原発運動のアピール、菅直人氏ら国会議員の訴え、それに歌・ラップ・コールなどが続いた。 参加者は若者から年配者まで幅広く、「原発いらない」の思いを表現したプラカードや工夫したアピールグッズが目立った。この日の盛り上がりは、脱原発運動が収まるどころか、持続した運動として、深く定着していることをはっきり示していた。(M)    
・動画（ラップで訴え）・動画（芝公園）